So You Want to Buy a Lock Pick Set…

Often times, customers will reach out to us, saying they would like to order a lock pick set, but not knowing where to start.  We make twenty-two different lock pick sets, divided between five different categories, so we understand choosing a set could be a challenge!

Three of the categories, we see as supplemental--  For people who have already learned how to pick locks and are looking to progress or expand their tool kits.

Our Pocket Lock Pick Sets are designed for portability and convenience in mind.  With their compact size, they fit easily into a shirt or pants pocket, and are great sets to keep on hand.  And their precision manufacturing from high-quality stainless steel and aluminum materials, ensures they are professional quality.

       
 Left: The Jackknife Lock Pick Set - Lock Picks fold down, pocket knife-style, and tension tool fits down the side of the handle for self-contained tool. Carries easily in a pocket or on a keyring.
Right: The Pocket Pen Pick Set - Includes sixteen lock pick tips and four tension tools.  Pick tips can be stored inside the pen-sized body, and a tension tool fits down the side, acting as a pocket clip.  Available with or without keyring attachment.

 

Our Pagoda Lock Pick Set is a great addition to traditional-style lock picks.  The set is comprised of lift-rake style picks with multiple peak configurations, and includes an offset-diamond/deforest pick and a sharp-tipped hook pick.

 

 The BPXS-12 Pagoda Lock Pick Set makes a great extension to traditional style lock picks, when looking to expand your picking skills and experiences.

 

Our MAX Lock Pick Set series, whose picks are machined from high yield stainless steel, the strongest stainless from which we can manufacture lock picks, and highly polished for an ultra-smooth picking experience, are the crème de la crème of our lock pick sets (Click here for further information).  They truly are a superb series of lock picking tools, but we typically don't recommend them to persons just learning to pick locks. 

We’re all heavy-handed when first learning to pick locks.  Lock picking is a skill of finesse not force--  It takes practice to learn that the keyway won’t turn until all the pins have reached the shearline (no matter how hard we wrench that tension tool!), and with time, we learn that we’re often more successful when we slow down, ease up, and pay attention to the feeling of the pins inside the lock…  So, while the MAX series can handle the heavy hands of a beginner, it would kind of be like choosing a Rolls Royce for a sixteen year old’s first car:  You could, but there are other reliable, well-made options available for the kid to ding up!   ;-)

The M3000 MAX High Yield Lock Pick Set, pictured here, is the middle-sized set in our MAX Lock Pick Set series.  Each of our MAX Lock Pick Sets feature our MAX High Yield Lock Picks, and an expanded array of tension tools.

 

So that brings us to our Standard and Slimline series of lock pick sets, the two series from which we most recommend lock pick sets to customers when asked.  Both series are of excellent quality, manufactured from U.S. full hard stainless steel here in Florida, and the sets in both series include an array of rake, hook, diamond and ball lock picks.   

Our Standard Lock Pick Sets are designed to fit the keyways of locks here in the U.S., though they are still popular among our customers throughout the world, including in Europe.  They are the most popular series of lock picks chosen by our U.S. customers.  The Standard series is popular among beginners as well, even though they are not “beginner” lock picks, because their slightly wider shaft profiles, and their .025” thick steel, make the picks a bit more rigid-feeling when picking, and because they are a bit more forgiving to beginners’ heavy-handedness.

A close-up of lock picks in our MPXS-32 Thirty-two Piece Lock Pick Set.  

 

Among the Standard Lock Pick Sets, there are sets with traditional lock picks only – picks without any handle affixed to them.  These sets begin with product number PXS- and some of these PXS- sets include handles with the sets, for added comfort, like the PXS-14, which includes textured grips, or the PXS-17, which includes an interchangeable alloy handle. 

There are also sets among our Standard Lock Pick Sets that feature our rivetless metal-handled lock picks. The sandwiched design of our metal-handled picks provide added comfort when picking for extended periods of time, while maintaining excellent feedback inside the lock.  These sets begin with product number MPXS-, and the metal-handled picks pictured with the sets, are the picks with our SouthOrd logo embedded in the handles.

 

   

Top Left:  The PXS-05L set includes traditional picks only, without additional handles; Top Right: The PXS-14 includes textured grips that can be install on the picks for added comfort;  Bottom Left:  The PXS-17 includes an interchangeable alloy handle, the largest of our pick handles; Bottom Right: The MPXS-14 features our rivetless stainless steel handles for added comfort.

 

Our Slimline Lock Pick Sets are designed to fit the more narrow keyways found throughout Europe, and found in some high-security locks here in the U.S.  Their more narrow shaft profiles, and their thinner steel thickness of .022” allow for a better fit in narrow keyways.  For this reason, they are a popular choice among our international customers, and among U.S. customers who prefer more thin, narrow lock picks to have more working room inside of the keyway.

A close-up of lock picks in our C3010 Thirty-Eight Piece Lock Pick Set. The more narrow pick shafts and thinner steel allows for more working room inside narrow keyways.

 

All of the lock pick sets included in our Slimline series are assembled, at least in part, with our metal-handle lock picks (which, again, are the lock picks pictured with our SouthOrd logo embedded in the handles).

The C1500 and C801:  Both Lock Pick Sets from our Slimline series.

 

Once the customer has decided from which series he would like choose his lock pick set, there are a few points that we suggest considering.  Our largest sets, like the sets with 30 or more pieces, are designed with the professional locksmith in mind--  Those who are more likely to use the sets on a day-in, day-out basis.  For those who are not likely to need the sets as frequently, we typically recommend a mid-sized set, sets having between fourteen and thirty pieces.  These sets offer a good variety of picks to practice with and to have for use, without feeling overwhelmed with more picks than needed.  Small sets, under 14 pieces, are an excellent choice for customers looking for the lowest price point, or for a compact-sized set to keep on-hand. 

We offer a wide range of lock pick sets to suit any need, and we hope, if you’ve been thinking about purchasing a lock pick set, that this breakdown of the sets we offer will help in making your decision.  But if you have any questions, please just ask-- We’re here and happy to help!

And by the way, if you made it this far--  Thank you!  We know this one's an unusually long blog post.  To close, we just though we'd share this little photo-shoot mishap with you!

 

The C2010 Twenty-Two Piece Lock Pick Set from our Slimline series, and Billy, our long-haired chihuahua here at Southord.

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